Parking ticket in work van whilst delivering to block of flats.

iyshapitman · Post by **iyshapitman** » 29 Sep 2016, 10:46

A private parking ticket firm ticketed the van whilst i was delivering to the flats. I was told to park in this spot when i started the round. There is nowhere else to park as the road is all hotel driveways. Royal mail have given the company my details and are pushing me to pay the fine and getting people alot higher involved. I am aware these parking firms are only invoices and not actual bills but its seems royal mail are not understanding this and are getting me in the office on a weekly basis over it. A different postman got a parking ticket in the same space after me and got let off. Does anyone know where i stand as its really starting to stress me out.

Postie45 · Post by **Postie45** » 29 Sep 2016, 14:36

who told you to park in this spot ? is it marked as a non parking area ?

nickbsmooth · Post by **nickbsmooth** » 29 Sep 2016, 15:33

I don't think they're enforceable by law. Alot was changed to stop these rogue companies.

crazyshrew · Post by **crazyshrew** » 29 Sep 2016, 16:55

A little more information is required.
You say a private firm ticketed you. Were you parked on private land or public land/highway?

If you were on private land, the ticket is pretty much toilet paper. It is not a fine, but an invoice for "breach of contract". If they decide to go to the effort and cost of pursuing it through the courts, Due to the nature of the business you were undertaking - you were delivering on behalf of RM, which as the designated universal service provider, which has a legal obligation to carry out the work you were doing - the Magistrate will most tell the ticket company something along the lines of P*** off and wind their necks in.
(Or words to that effect, my brother works for BT maintaining and installing lines and boxes across the network, he was ticketed by a private firm and those are the words he uses to tell the story)

Martin Lewis gives some very good advice on MSE
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclai ... ng-tickets

If you were parked on land controlled by your Local Authority, I assume the firm issuing the ticket is indeed working on behalf of the LA? If so, you should have a decent argument as local parking regulations generally have exemptions for certain types of vehicles.
In fact, the government guidance to LA's on parking policy and enforcement specifically mentions " vehicles of a universal postal service provider delivering mail"
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... idance.pdf

Each authority should have a policy setting out their particular exemptions and allowances, I'd advise you to do a little research to find yours and use it to your advantage.
Have attached an image from my local one so you have a decent idea of the type of thing you are looking for.

Post by **bustedflush** » 29 Sep 2016, 17:29

I'd be more worried by the fact that RM has given your details to another business without your consent. I'd like to know the DPA aspect of this....

nickbsmooth · Post by **nickbsmooth** » 29 Sep 2016, 18:21

My manager was wanting me to accept a speeding fine because my van was snapped.
I said how about you check the vehicle log 1st , their response an hour later was " you were lucky".
My response was not really since I wasn't the one speeding and I would have dragged it to court if need be to prove it.

iyshapitman · Post by **iyshapitman** » 29 Sep 2016, 18:29

It was just a block of flats car park. Private land. We have permission from our local council to park the vans in areas they control.

Post by **IloveMYredTROLLEY!** » 29 Sep 2016, 18:42

bustedflush wrote:I'd be more worried by the fact that RM has given your details to another business without your consent. I'd like to know the DPA aspect of this....

Amen.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 29 Sep 2016, 19:49

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/ ... ing-ticket" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; How to dispute a parking charge notice

Surreypostie · Post by **Surreypostie** » 03 Oct 2016, 18:27

For future reference, return all the mail to the office and inform the manager there was nowhere available for you to park. If the people who live there want their mail delivered they need to make sure you can park unhindered by these twats.

stan_lers · Post by **stan_lers** » 05 Oct 2016, 16:08

I once had a parking fine from my own work's car park. I ignored it, and about 4 years later, the company had been bought out by another firm, and they must've gone through all their unpaid fines and sent me another letter demanding payment, plus loads of letters from supposed lawyers. If it's not council (and a PCN), the it's all a scam. Most of the letters threatening legal action are sent on behalf of a company owned by some man who's in his 90s and doesn't even practice law any more, but they have permission to write these letters on his behalf to scare people into paying. If it goes to court, they can only claim for loss of earnings, which would be the cost of a parking permit pro rata for the few minutes you were there, which is why they always back down in the end.

I'd just ignore them, and if RM pushes you on it, then you'd have to either start bringing the mail back, or park in the nearest available place, walk to the flats and then cut off from the extra time adds to the duty.

telithowitis · Post by **telithowitis** » 05 Oct 2016, 18:22

What is of concern is why the management have given your details when there is no legal requirement to.
If the driver is not the owner on any ticket not on a road or public car park the RM can just say "we are the owners but are under no legal requirement to tell you who the driver is so go away" Parking tickets apply only to drivers so end of story if you manager had not disclosed your details.
Should therefore the RM be giving employee details held on a computer out in this case????

NWpostie · Post by **NWpostie** » 06 Oct 2016, 21:40

Why should the driver be dealing with this on his own anyway ?

Royal mail has its own solicitor, he should be earning his keep telling the parking firm to get stuffed.